Up In the Air
by LittleMissMorgenstern
Summary: (The previous version I uploaded of this went awry, so I'm re-uploading it and hoping it works.) This was a request from my Tumblr buddy. Magnus and Alec decide to visit a themepark, but Magnus fails to mention his fear of rollercoasters... Before it's too late.


"This really is rather pleasant. What do you think, Alexander?" said Magnus, taking another lick of his strawberry icecream. He had seen several young children biting into their own icecreams, and Magnus had cringed away from them as if they were a poisonous plant he'd found growing under the sink. He didn't trust anyone who could accomplish such an act and still have their teeth intact afterward. "Alexander—?"

Magnus glanced up. His boyfriend appeared to be having some difficulty identifying the various colours of icecream in the tubs. Magnus caught the furious spark of rage in the stallkeeper's eyes and moved to Alec's side, almost protectively. He didn't doubt his own ability to shrink the keeper into a possum if need be.

"What _is_ that stuff?" Alec was saying, indicating with a trembling finger the chocolate-chip mint icecream. It was melting gradually in the heat, giving it an almost sloppy sheen. "Is that—is that _slime_?"

The man behind the stall turned beat red.

Magnus put a hand on Alec's shoulder, gently. "Alec, darling—"

But Alec turned to him, eyes wide and incredulous. "No, Magnus, look!" He jabbed a finger at the mint chocolate. "It has rabbit feces in it!" His blue eyes shot daggers at the stallkeeper. "Are you trying to poison us?"

"I wasn't," said the man, hazel eyes blazing furiously. "But I'm tempted." He inclined his head to Magnus. "You the entertainer or something? Clown Workshop's over there." He pointed.

Magnus's lips parted. He glanced down. He was wearing rainbow leather pants complete with pointed polished black shoes, a low turtle-neck navy top, and a white jacket that glistened with multi-coloured diamonds. His hair stuck up in every which way, like a mace complete with glittering spikes. Magnus couldn't pick fault with his outfit or his hairstyle. He often wondered if he was too awesome for the average mundane to take in.

Still, it hurt.

It was Alec who moved first. Spinning with lightning-speed, he reached over and plucked the half-melted strawberry icecream from Magnus's hand and shoved it into the man's face, directly in the nose. The man let out a yelp and then he staggered back as Alec, flipping over the stall, curled his hand into a fist and socked him in the face.

The cornet cushioned the punch; it fell away to crumbs from the blow. Nonetheless, the impact sent him staggering into the boxes of unopened icecream at the back of the gazebo. The boxes tumbled down around him. The man's nose was streaming a steady trickle of blood, mixing with the strawberry icecream.

Magnus wrinkled his nose. "I detest sauce on my icecream," he muttered, to no one in particular. Alec was staring down at his fist, which was smudged with icecream, in astonishment, as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just done. "Alec," Magnus said, and then, when he didn't reply, "Alec!"

Alec glanced up.

In the distance, beyond the rattle of the theme park and the screams of children, was the distorted croaking of voices coming through walkie-talkies. Security.

Magnus seized Alec's hand and quickly threw up a glamour around them. They walked hand in hand out from under the cover of the gazebo, out into the blaring sun.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Magnus said, "but isn't the mandate of Shadowhunters to protect mundanes, not physically harm them?"

"_Mundanes_," Alec said. "No one said anything about assholes."

Magnus snorted.

* * *

><p>Being with Alec was pleasant. It was lying back on a feather bed, said feather bed floating on water, and forgetting the issues of the universe. It was a walk in the park, the sun beating down relentlessly, and that momentary rush of relief when a cool gust fractures the heat. It was wild and fierce, consuming like wildfire, yet soft and hesitant.<p>

It was the kind of love that made Magnus, whenever he was in Alec's presence, forget who he was. He could do anything, be anything, with him, and Alec would remain by his side, never demanding—giving, never taking.

It made him feel alive.

Unfortunately, Magnus wasn't feeling particularly thrilled now. He craned his head and glanced up at the looming rollercoaster above him. It was a massive, hulking thing, seeming elegant and bulky all at once. It looked a bit like a child's drawing of a rollercoaster; all squiggles and impossibly sharp twists. The track itself was an ice blue, carrying rows of carriages of the same colour that looked a bit like oval-shaped cages. Beneath the ride shimmered a crystal-blue lake, ice steam rising off its surface. The entirety of the coaster was enclosed with ice-capped walls that jutted outward jaggedly, giving the impression of the side of a mountain.

Magnus had never ridden a rollercoaster in his years. Hot air balloons, airplanes, and pickup trucks that floated on water he'd done. Not rollercoasters. There was something threateningly unpredictable about them. He was ashamed to admit to himself that he was absolutely terrified, not to mention that he was exceptionally concerned for his hair.

Alec, beside him, was bouncing excitedly on his feet. "Can't you just magic the mundies aside?" He peered down the length of the snaking line. His eyes glittered, impossibly bluer than usual. "I can't wait much longer—"

"Need to relieve yourself?" said Magnus, and laughed at Alec's glare. "Do it on the ride," Magnus went on. "I doubt anyone would notice. The carriages are wet already and we're glamoured besides."

"Shut up," Alec hissed. He crossed his arms with a scowl. "You already look as if you've relieved yourself." Magnus quirked an eyebrow. Alec said, "You really shouldn't have worn wet-look pants, Magnus. They don't do you any favours."

"I don't do _favours_ for anyone." Magnus wiggled his fingers; his rings flashed. "I'm expensive."

"Yeah," said Alec. "I've heard that about you."

"Alexander!" Magnus was astounded. "I thought we'd moved past that."

Alec grinned suddenly. The smile lit up his face, and Magnus's throat went dry. He was so beautiful, he was sometimes painful to look at. Like staring directly at the sun. "Got you," he laughed.

Magnus seized the other boy by the waist and pulled him against his chest. "You always have," he whispered, and he bent his head as if to kiss him, but he never got the chance, because at that moment a carriage roared by over their heads, spraying them with water.

Alec didn't seem to care, but he did jerk back in surprise. Magnus stared grimly after the carriage as it spun over a loop. Seconds later Alec disentangled himself out of Magnus's grasp and strode toward the mundane nearest him. The boy was wearing a gray woollen hat; Alec plucked it off. The boy made a noise of protest and started after the floating hat.

Alec threw the hat at Magnus as if it was a rugby ball and a stampede of rugby players was hard on his heels. Magnus shoved on the hat, crushing his glittered spikes. The boy came within touching distance of him, and he reached up, as if he were going to retrieve the hat from Magnus's head—

And the boy jerked back with a choked "Ugh!" He had touched one of Magnus's spikes as he'd reached for his hat. Magnus watched with dark amusement as the mundie boy staggered backward, tripping over his feet.

Magnus shot a sideways smile at Alec, one that his boyfriend returned.

* * *

><p>Several people tried to catch at the runaway hat as it bobbed by, appearing to float on the breeze. Once secured in the front seat of Infusion—the damned rollercoaster—Magnus clicked his fingers. The lesbian couple striding excitedly toward the front seat froze, blinked, and turned abruptly. They disappeared back through the entrance.<p>

"You're looking a little green." It was Alec, beside him. He turned to peer worriedly into his boyfriend's face.

How was it that someone who was raring to go on a 14-loop rollercoaster ride was terrified of umbrellas?

"I told that to Ragnor once," said Magnus, trying for humour, though his heart wasn't in it. "He didn't believe me."

Alec laughed. He was laughing a lot these days, Magnus had noted. It made his heart swell with adoration—and then plummet as the carriage lurched forward. Magnus's head snapped back painfully. He gripped the side of the carriage with one hand and Alec's sleeve with the other.

"Alec, I don't like this. I think this was a bad idea."

"It's too late now," said Alec, somewhat absently. He was gazing about him like an excited child on Christmas. The reflection of the turquoise-coloured lake rippled in his eyes. "Do you want me to hold your hand?"

"No," said Magnus. The carriage turned slowly. The track before them stretched up and up like a crane, the chains jiggling as they moved. "I need my hands to grasp at something if we fall out."

Alec turned to him now. "What's wrong?" He narrowed his eyes. "Are you _scared_?"

"Of course not." Magnus's heart did palpitations in his chest as the carriage moved sluggishly upward. His legs dangled limply in the air. The water seemed scarily close and scarily far away.

"Liar," said Alec. Surprisingly he reached out and grasped Magnus's hand, his skin a comforting pressure against his. Magnus didn't know why he was surprised. He guessed he thought Alec would mock him. "Are you—?"

"Alec!" Magnus gasped. They had almost reached the top; beyond the far stretch the track sloped diagonally downward. "I'm afraid you're going to get a face full of my vomit."

Alec raised his eyebrows.

"No, this isn't good," Magnus continued. "Alexander, I'm afraid this is it. This is the end of my journey. This is the end of Magnificent Magnus Bane." He rested his head against the armrest and closed his eyes. "I request Madonna to be played at my funeral—"

The carriage tipped forward.

It was like hanging out the window of an airplane—wind rushing in his ears and the skin of his face pulled back, as if someone were stretching it from behind. His stomach somersaulted and his eyes snapped open. He screamed as they went over the first loop; he caught a glimpse of white, water, and summer sky, dotted with white puffs of clouds.

Magnus glanced at Alec and saw that his face was squashed in, as if he had been thwacked with the flat side of a pan. Alec's mouth gaped open in a soundless scream, lips flapping like a fish. Magnus would have laughed if he could breathe.

The carriage made a sharp divert; Magnus's head slammed into Alec's, rucking his gray woollen hat up over his ear. Magnus tried to grab at it, succeeding in only punching himself in the face repeatedly and accidentally slapping Alec. A moment later and the hat were off. It whipped through the air, bouncing like a balloon caught in a fierce wind—and smacked into the face of the passenger in the carriage behind him.

Magnus's hands flew to his head. "My hair!" he screamed. "Run! Save yourself!"

Alec's laugh was distorted in the wind.

The carriage jerked to a halt suddenly. Magnus gasped and looked down—and instantly regretted it. They were dangling at least one hundred feet in the air, hovering awkwardly above the crowd of mundies lining up for the ride. It suddenly became too much for Magnus.

He curdled over and vomited. The contents of his stomach poured out of him and fountained over the mundanes below. Their screams echoed back to him. Several had been looking up with excited interest and had gotten it full in the face; others had leaped out of the way, tripping over their feet.

Alec burst out laughing. He seemed to have trashed the Shadowhunters mandate for the day, Magnus noted. Alec dug something out of his jeans pocket and held it out in front of them. His mobile phone.

"Let's take a selfie," he said.

Magnus didn't have the energy to protest—the phone flashed. Alec produced the photo and held it up for Magnus to see. Alec, his cheeks flushed with cold, was smiling. His black hair was dishevelled and stuck up in every which way. Magnus was momentarily proud—until he glanced at himself. His hair, jelled to jagged glittering spikes, was parted down his hairline, like antlers sprouting from either side of his head. Whereas Alec was flushed, Magnus was pale in comparison. Magnus's eyes were closed and stray droplets of vomit dotted his chin.

Magnus glared as Alec punched the buttons on it. "What are you doing?" Magnus asked, suspicious.

"Sending it," said Alec.

"To…?" prompted Magnus.

Alec hesitated. "To Jace," he said finally.

"No!" Magnus twisted and attempted to snatch the phone. Alec, anticipating his move, shifted and hung over the other side of the carriage. It swung, unbalanced. Magnus's stomach lurched. "Give it to me, Alexander. Don't you dare send it to Jace."

Alec chuckled.

Magnus, bracing himself, bounced in his seat. The carriage twisted. Alec lost grip on the rectangular device and it slipped from his grasp, twirling through the air like a stone—and plonked a mundane girl on the scalp. She collapsed.

Alec whirled on him, face suffused with fury. "You BROKE my PHONE!" he shouted.

"_You_ broke your phone," said Magnus.

"But my PHONE!" His blue eyes blazed. "Why does everybody take it out on my phone? What did they ever do to anybody?"

"Ring me every 10 minutes until it was eventually destroyed by heavenly fire," Magnus reminded him.

Alec blanched. "That—that was—"

Magnus never found out what that was, because at that moment the carriage hurtled forward again. Magnus's neck clicked painfully as the air was sucked out of him.

The remainder of the ride was very much as he'd expected: flailing legs and screams; Alec laughing with joy; Magnus vomiting a second time, only this time he had the decency to hang over the side—where it coated the girl's face in the carriage behind him. She really was getting a face full of it.

When the ride eventually drew to a standstill, Magnus found his cheeks numb and his mouth swollen. He felt as if he'd had Botox.

Pushing back through the line, they found the paramedics tending to the girl on the floor. It was one of the lesbian's Magnus had seen before, striding toward the front seat. She was sitting upright on the ground now, looking disoriented. A massive lump was pulsing out of her forehead.

She held up Alec's phone. The screen was fissured with cracks. "This," she muttered. "It fell on my head."

The girl shot an awkward smile at Magnus, and he realized with a jolt of surprise that he had allowed the glamour to fall away. Fear had overridden him.

Alec noticed it, too, because without a word of warning he reached forward and plucked the phone out of the girl's fingers. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Fell out of my pocket."

The lesbian girl glared at him.

* * *

><p>As they strode away, the sun setting over the horizon, Alec smiled and announced, rather abruptly, "Good job I already sent the photo, though."<p>

"I did wonder," Magnus said, but he smiled and took his hand.


End file.
